The present invention relates to a vibrator holder for mounting a vibrator that vibrates a device body in an electronic device such as a communication terminal unit, and to a vibrator attaching method.
To a small-sized communication terminal unit, for example, a pager, a portable telephone, or the like, a vibrator is attached in order to inform a user of terminating call, by which the device body is vibrated. In this vibrator, an eccentric piece is attached to a drive shaft of a motor and vibration generated by rotating the eccentric piece by the drive shaft is transmitted to the device body.
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, examples of the conventional vibrator attaching structure will be described. FIGS. 3A and 3B show a first conventional example, in which in a state where a vibrator 50 is covered with a shock absorber 51, this vibrator 50 is attached to holding portions 53 and 54 of a supporting member 52, and then lead wires 55 extending from the vibrator 50 are soldered to a print circuit board 56 in which circuit parts are covered with a shield member 57, whereby the vibrator 50 is electrically connected to the print circuit board 56 and thereafter the print circuit board 56 is attached to a case 58 or the supporting member 52.
FIGS. 4A and 4B show a second conventional example, in which a vibrator 60 is attached through a shock absorber 61 to a sub-print circuit board 62 with solder, and a male connector 63a of the sub-print circuit board 62 is put in to a female connector 63b of a main print circuit board 64 in which circuit parts are covered with a shield member 65, whereby the vibrator 60 is electrically connected to the main print circuit board 64 and thereafter the main print circuit board 64 is attached to a case 67. In this example, a shock absorber 66 is provided also between the vibrator 60 and the case 67.
However, in case of the first conventional example shown in FIG. 3, the holding portions 53, 54 for holding the vibrator 50 and the shock absorber 51 are constituted separately from the print circuit board 56, and the holding force of the holding portions 53, 54 in relation to the vibrator 50 and the shock absorber 51 is firmer than the connecting force between the print circuit board 56 and the lead wires 55. For this reason, in case that the communication terminal unit is disassembled, in order to prevent the vibrator 50 from being connected by only the lead wires 56 and being in a hanging state, it must be disassembled after the solder of the lead wires 55 to the print circuit board 56 was removed, so that there was a problem that much time and labor require for the disassembly.
Further, the shield member 57 is provided above the print circuit board 56, and vacancy is formed between the vibrator 50 and the print circuit board 56 and between the shield member 57 and the case 58, whereby much arrangement space is required, so that there was a problem that the device must be made large.
Further, in case of the second conventional example shown in FIG. 4, the sub-print circuit board 62 for attaching the vibrator 60 and the shock absorber 61 thereto is required, and the connectors 63a, 63b must be arranged between the sub-print circuit board 62 and the main print circuit board 64 in order to electrically connect the vibrator 60 to the main print circuit board 64. Further, the shield member 65 is provided above the main print circuit board 64, and arrangement space for this shield member 65 and for vacancy between the shield member 65 and the sub-print circuit board 62 is required. Forth is reason, a height H from the main print circuit board 64 to the sub print circuit board 62 becomes relatively large, and the inner space of the case 67 becomes considerably wide. Therefore, there was a problem that the device must be made large similarly to in FIG. 3.
The invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide a vibrator holder and a vibrator attaching method, in which working efficiency at the assembly and disassembly time is good, and the required arrangement space is small thereby to make miniaturization of the device possible.
A vibrator holder according to the invention is characterized in that:
(1) There are provided a holding member for fitting and holding a vibrator therein, and a base member which, when attached onto a circuit board, forms a gap between it and the circuit board, the aforesaid holding member and base member are integrally formed, and the aforesaid vibrator is fitted into the afore said holding member, where by a terminal of this vibrator conducts to the aforesaid circuit board.
(2) The aforesaid base member is composed of a box-shaped member, and inner space of this box-shaped member forms the space between the base member and the aforesaid circuit board.
(3) The aforesaid base member is composed of a box-shaped member, and this box-shaped member is used also as a shield member of the aforesaid circuit board.
(4) A plate spring-shaped terminal is projectingly provided for the aforesaid vibrator, and a contact portion that comes into contact with and conducts to the terminal of the afore said vibrator is provided for the aforesaid circuit board.
A vibrator attaching method according to the invention is characterized:
(5) A vibrator attaching base is used, which is formed by integrally forming a holding member that holds a vibrator for vibrating a case and a base member attached onto a circuit board that conducts to a terminal of this vibrator, the vibrator is fitted into and held by the aforesaid holding member, and the aforesaid base member is attached to the aforesaid circuit board and forms vacancy between it and the circuit board.
(6) The aforesaid base member is composed of a box-shaped member, and this box-shaped member is used also as a shield member of the aforesaid circuit board.
(7) A plate spring-shaped terminal is projectingly provided for the aforesaid vibrator, and a contact portion is provided for the aforesaid circuit board thereby to come into contact with and conducts to the terminal of the afore said vibrator.
An electronic device according to the invention is equipped with:
(8) a vibrator holder in which there are provided a holding member for fitting and holding a vibrator therein, and a base member which, when attached onto a circuit board, forms a gap between it and this circuit board; the a fore said holding member and base member are integrally formed; and the a fore said vibrator is fitted into the aforesaid holding member, whereby a terminal of this vibrator conducts to the aforesaid circuit board.
A communication terminal unit according to the invention is equipped with:
(9) a vibrator holder in which there are provided a holding member for fitting and holding a vibrator therein, and a base member which, when attached onto a circuit board, forms a gap between it and this circuit board; the aforesaid holding member and base member are integrally formed; and the afore said vibrator is fitted into the aforesaid holding member, whereby a terminal of this vibrator conducts to the aforesaid circuit board.
As described above, the member in which the holding member and the base member are integrally formed is used as the vibrator attaching base for attaching the vibrator; the vibrator is fitted into and attached to the holding member, for example, by forcing the vibrator coated with a shock absorber into the holding member; and the base member is attached to the circuit board to cause the circuit board to conduct to the terminal of the vibrator, whereby an integral circuit board unit in which the vibrator is mounted on the circuit board is constituted. As described above, since the vibrator is held in the circuit board, efficiency of working such as assembly and disassembly at the manufacturing time and at the maintenance time is good, so that the vibrator can be readily attached and detached.
Further, the base member is composed of the box-shaped member, and the inner space of this box-shaped member forms the space between the circuit board and the holding member, whereby the unnecessary contact and intervention of the vibrator in relation to the circuit board are prevented. Further, since the base member is composed of the box-shaped member having also the function of the shield member required in the circuit board, the number of parts is reduced and the arrangement space for attaching the vibrator is suppressed to a minimum. Further, since the plate spring-shaped terminal provided for the vibrator is brought into contact with the contact portion provided for the circuit board thereby to cause the vibrator conduct to the circuit board, working such as soldering and removing of solder at the assembly and disassembly times is not required, so that working efficiency is good, and the assembly and maintenance can be readily executed.
By applying the above vibrator holder and vibrator attaching method to an electronic device, and particularly to a communication terminal unit, the vibrator is attached to the smaller arrangement space, whereby the device can be miniaturized.